With construction of the wireless component of the National Broadband Network (NBN) getting underway in some regional areas of Australia, the inevitable squabbles over where transmission towers should and should not be built are in full swing.
The process calls for calm, consultation with councils and residents, and transparent information flow. Rural councils need to be involved with making sure people understand what is happening, and why it is happening.
However, it seems the Moorabool Council, west of Melbourne, has developed something of a double standard towards the construction of the towers.
| Wireless Internet Towers Opposed |
“GORDON and Yendon residents are fighting plans to construct three large wireless internet towers, saying they will threaten people’s safety and ruin the rural aesthetics.”
“A Moorabool Council spokesman said the council had advised NBN Co to hold further consultation sessions.”
| Blackwood Telstra Tower: Moorabool Mayor Says Honour Promise |
“”Telstra have been promising for a long time to put up a mobile phone tower in Blackwood,” Cr Griffin said. “It is a very serious situation because there is no (mobile phone) coverage there. So some people are very difficult to communicate with in case of fire.””
“Cr Griffin said he urged the telecommunications company to not let financial considerations stand in the way.”
“”I call on Telstra to get on with it,” he said.”
It really seems like Moorabool Council are keen about, and are promoting the NBN in their municipality, but are demanding Telstra hurry up and build the mobile phone tower in Blackwood, yet they tell NBN Co to go away and do more work for Yendon, Lal Lal and Gordon.
Two services they want that require the erection of transmission towers, yet two different responses.
Will the tower in Blackwood not ruin “rural aesthetics”, while the towers in Yendon, Lal Lal and Gordon are doing that exact same “ruining”?
I’m all for improving mobile phone coverage, and improving bushfire safety. Similarly, I’m all for getting the placement of NBN wireless towers right.
But there really should not be a “picking and choosing” of council positions to suit what are really only slightly different technical and aesthetic arguments.